Gladiators want to stay put in new system

Clarke Central will not elect to play in Class AAAAA, the state's newest classification of the Georgia High School Association, athletic director Steve Brooks said Monday.

In October, Brooks and Clarke Central principal Maxine Easom went in front of the Georgia High School Association executive committee and asked them to allow the Gladiators to play in Class AAAA, then the state's largest classification.

Brooks and Easom had miscommunicated and had not gotten the initial appeal to the GHSA by the deadline, but their appeal to play up was denied.

When the GHSA announced its new five classification system this past weekend, schools were given another chance to play in a higher region. The new petitions are due March 24.

But that won't matter for Clarke Central.

''The emotions have worn off,'' said Brooks. ''We were told and then we had a month to fill out the paperwork. Over the last few months, we've taken on a good attitude about where we are.''

So the Gladiators, along with Cedar Shoals and Oconee County will be in the new Class AAAA, which is the second-highest classification.

''If you were talking about just football, it'd be nice to be AAAAA,'' Brooks said. ''But if you're looking at the entire athletic program, it's best for us to play where we are put.''

No area schools will be in the state's largest classification.

The reclassification was decided upon over the weekend, and the official classification was not available until Monday.

While Clarke Central, Cedar Shoals and Oconee County were to be in Region 8-AAA with several other area schools, the three will now have to wait until the first week of April to learn their new region. Regions will be decided upon after all petitions to play up are received.

Madison County, with its 1,166 students, will be the largest school in Class AAA. The Red Raiders had decided to play a non-region football schedule, which meant they would not have to play everyone in the region, but also would not be eligible for the state playoffs.

Madison County athletic director Tom Hybl said Monday that he would now consider playing a region schedule, but will wait until a region is finalized to make a decision. The Red Raiders would likely play in a region with area schools, Jackson County, Stephens County, Winder-Barrow, Elbert County, Monroe Area, Hart County and Franklin County.

Under the previous alignment for 2000-2002, Elbert County had been the smallest Class AAA school in the state. The Blue Devils are now in the upper half of the new Class AAA, while Hart County and Franklin County will both be in the lower third of Class AAA.

Morgan County, Greene-Taliaferro, Washington-Wilkes, Banks County and Oglethorpe County will be in Class AA along with Barrow County's new school, Apalachee.

Athens' three GHSA-member private schools are unaffected by the new rule which multiplies private schools' attendance by 1.5 for classification purposes. Athens Academy, Athens Christian and Prince Avenue will compete in Class A, along with Commerce and Jefferson.

Athens Christian had decided to play a non-region football schedule but will wait to see its region before making a decision.